Extendable wireless power delivery for small devices

• US 9,537,346 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2015
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Cooper, Emily B., Smith, Joshua R., Sample, Alanson P., Neumann, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Fritz M
• Application Number:
  US14/743,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20150288218A1
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104, 320/108
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034

Abstract

In various embodiments, an electronic device such as a portable computer has a structure that extends from the device to wirelessly transfer electrical power between itself and an external device. The structure may be placed in a non-extended position when not being used for such power transfer. In some embodiments power transfer may take place in either direction, and may be used for various purposes, such as to provide operational power and/or to charge a battery. The external device may be placed on or near the extended structure for power transfer to take place.

Claims

1. A power delivery device, comprising:

a charge circuitry;

a charge portion, wherein the charge portion is an extensible portion comprising a hinged attachment coupled with a top edge of a lid of the power delivery device and is to be extended from the power delivery device by rotating the extensible portion about the hinged attachment in an upward direction away from the lid when the lid is in an upright position;

wherein,

the power delivery device is configured to;

detect whether any power receiving device is positioned on the charge portion for charging; and

based at least in part on a detection that a power receiving device is positioned on the charge portion for charging, activate the charge circuitry from a deactivated state to transfer power wirelessly to the power receiving device.

2. The power delivery device of claim 1, wherein the power delivery device is further configured to deactivate the charge circuitry at least in part based on a detection that the power receiving device is no longer positioned on the charge portion for charging.

3. The power delivery device of claim 1, wherein the charge circuitry is further to comprise a resonator to transfer power wirelessly to the power receiving device.

4. The power delivery device of claim 1, wherein the power delivery device is further configured to detect whether the power delivery device has low power, and deactivate the charge circuitry at least in part based on detection that the power delivery device has the low power.

5. The power delivery device of claim 1, wherein the power delivery device is a computer having a battery power.

6. The power delivery device of claim 1, wherein the charge portion is defined by a vendor.

7. A method, to be employed by a power delivery device, comprising:

detecting whether any power receiving device is positioned on a charge portion of the power delivery device for charging, wherein the charge portion is an extensible portion comprising a hinged attachment coupled with a top edge of a lid of the power delivery device and is to be extended from the power delivery device by rotating the extensible portion about the hinged attachment in an upward direction away from the lid when the lid is in an upright position; and

based at least in part on a detection that a power receiving device is positioned on the charge portion of the power delivery device for charging, activating a charge circuitry of the power delivery device from a deactivated state to transfer power wirelessly to the power receiving device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

deactivating the charge circuitry at least in part based on a detection that the power receiving device is no longer positioned on the charge portion for charging.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the charge circuitry comprises a resonator to transfer power wirelessly to the power receiving device.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

detecting whether the power delivery device has low power; and

deactivating the charge circuitry at least in part based on detection that the power delivery device has the low power.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the power delivery device is a computer having a battery power.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the charge portion is defined by a vendor.

13. A computer readable medium encoded with computer executable instructions, which when accessed, causes a power delivery device to perform operations comprising:

detecting whether any power receiving device is positioned on a charge portion of the power delivery device for charging, wherein the charge portion is an extensible portion comprising a hinged attachment coupled with a top edge of a lid of the power delivery device and is to be extended from the power delivery device by rotating the extensible portion about the hinged attachment in an upward direction away from the lid when the lid is in an upright position; and

based at least in part on a detection that a power receiving device is positioned on the charge portion of the power delivery device for charging, activating a charge circuitry of the power delivery device from a deactivated state to transfer power wirelessly to the power receiving device.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when accessed, further causes the power delivery device to:

deactivate the charge circuitry at least in part based on a detection that the power receiving device is no longer positioned on the charge portion.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the charge circuitry is further to comprise a resonator to transfer power wirelessly to the power receiving device.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when accessed, further causes the power delivery device to:

detect whether the power delivery device has low power; and

deactivate the charge circuitry at least in part based on detection that the power delivery device has the low power.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the power delivery device is a computer having a battery power.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the charge portion is defined by a vendor.